By Kanishka Singh
WASHINGTON, July 9 (Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Justice said it reached a settlement to end diversity admissions practices at a Jersey City college prep school, the latest crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion by President Donald Trump’s administration.
“This week the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the Jersey City Board of Education entered a voluntary settlement agreement to end race and national origin discrimination in student admissions at Dr. Ronald E. McNair Academic High School,” the Justice Department said in a statement on Thursday.
The school did not return calls for comment. The Justice Department said the settlement resolved its probe into the school.
Dr. Ronald E. McNair High School is ranked fourth within New Jersey, according to the U.S. News & World Report. Its total minority enrollment is 81%, and 34% of students are economically disadvantaged, according to the publication.
Trump has cracked down on educational institutions, from top universities to local schools, and attempted to freeze federal funding over a range of issues.
These include pro-Palestinian protests against U.S. ally Israel’s assault on Gaza, climate initiatives, transgender policies and diversity practices.
Rights advocates and academic experts have expressed concerns about free speech, due process and academic freedom.
Trump has in particular cracked down on diversity practices, casting them as discriminatory against white people and men. He has signed many executive orders aimed at dismantling DEI in the government and in the private sector.
Civil rights advocates say DEI practices help address historic inequities for marginalized groups like women, the LGBT community and ethnic minorities.
Under the settlement agreement announced Thursday, the district will overhaul its admissions process and not reserve a certain number of seats for students based on race or national origin, the Justice Department said.
The settlement agreement will be in effect until mid-August 2029 and the district will be required to submit status reports to the Justice Department on the school’s admissions process, it said.
The district will adopt an admissions policy that complies with these prohibitions before the next admissions cycle for the 2027-2028 school year, it added.
(Reporting by Kanishka Singh in Washington; Editing by David Gregorio)
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